Hi Aaron,

There is some great advice here already. I would only add a few more points from a marketing standpoint. Because you have to look at this as a marketing plan. Who are you trying to reach, what's the message, how will you reach them at the right time with the right message.

Have clear goals for your speaking strategy, i.e. why it fits within your overarching marketing plan, how it will specifically help you reach your goals, what you will do at the speaking engagements to generate further discussion with prospects (lead capture etc).

Know who your ideal clients are so you can laser focus your speaking engagements, otherwise you'll get speaking opportunities but they won't generate any business.

Ensure your website supports your speaking: If you don't have an online presence that shows you take speaking seriously than no one else will. Show what you speak on, provide testimonials and examples of topics and venues you've spoken at. Provide website visitors with a way to reach you to talk to you about speaking opportunities.

Become a subject matter expert in your field. Start blogging, building out video content, and other content forms that clearly show you know what your talking about. This is something that will payoff greatly down the road. If you can create a following online and also get your content published online you can begin to show that you are a subject matter expert to those who may wish you to speak.

Target associations, conferences, local and regional level groups: Look for where your target audience gathers in person, online etc, and get in those groups and start interacting. Reach out to the organizers of those groups, let them know you're a speaker and begin nurturing those gatekeeper relationships.

Get speaking: if you haven't already started, don't wait for the big kahuna of speaking engagements, work on your material in small venues and local opportunities. This will help you sharpen your skills and your message and will provide you with a track record of speaking and topics for when the bigger opportunities open up.

Hope this is helpful and that you explode onto the speaking circuit and become a household name :-)

All the best,

Ian